Shoe construction



e. A. SCHROETER 1,781,197

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Nov. 11, 1930.

Filed Dec. 4, 1928 gag-$22235.

620m: A. SCHROETEK INVENTOR BY P Emma ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES-PATENT ortes enonei A. scnnonrmor BROOKLYN, New form, ASSIGNOR or one-fight "re CHARLES E. HECKEL', or CINCINNATI, OHIO snot; eons'rnuc'rIon Application flled'DcemberA, 1928'. Serial No. 323,749.

This invention relates to improvianiie'ntsjin the construction of shoes and hasreference particularly to an elastic grip embodied in the heel portion of the shoe for the purpose of effecting a closely fitting heel and to insure the latter against slipping over the heel of the wearer.

My invention has for its principal object to provide at self-adjusting portion for the rear and side walls of a shoe heel or counter and I accomplish this object by'meansof a strip of elastic webbing which is attached to the mid portion of the interior wall of the shoe counter and then in stretched condition projects towards the opposite side. walls to points just short of the instep, theheel of the wearer causing the webbing to expand and grip the heel portion of the foot within the shoe. v

To embody a self-adjusting heel or counter supporting element in manufactured shoes will effect an enormous saving for manufacturers, because it would be possible to make the so called combination last shoes of every pair whether the last is especially designed for combination last or not. The advantages enjoyed by wearers of shoes having the self-adjusting counter are many, e. g. non-slipping at the heel which as a consequence avoids sore heels, blisters, etc., troublesome foot and arch conditions which ordinarily occur from the rotation of the oscalsis or heel bone, and elongation of the tendons resulting in weak arches. The shoes employing my invention are themselves greatly benefited; the foot being held firmly -at the 'heel is always supported and does not lean to one side or the other with the consequent result that the shoe is run over and the heel unevenly worn.

Y My invention is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing in which Flgure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe having my improved, self-adjusting counter embodied therein; Figure 2 is a lateral sectional view through the shoe counter; Figure 3 is a substantially transverse sectional view of the counter taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing a slightly modlfied arrangement of the elastic self-adjusting,-

,member.

Referring to the drawings; 10 shoe having the usual toe portion 11 and-heel 12. .The port-ion of the shoe immediately above the heel 12 and known as the counter, comprises an upstanding more or less rigid .wall 13 made of stiff leather or composition. The back portion of the wall 13 is semi-circular and tapers downwardly towards the toe denotes .a

portion to meet the sole 14 at the beginning of the instep. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, I have provided two spaced upright slots- 15 in the mid-portion of the back of the wall 13, and threaded through these slots 15 so as to. bring its opposite ends inside the shoe orcounter is a strip of elastic or similar webbing 16, the ends thereof being projected in partially stretched condition away from eachother to enter slots 17 adjacent the tapered forward ends of the wall 13. The webbing 16 at each side is brought around over the outside of the wall 13, then about the end thereof and finally back again on the inside of the wall to be joined to itself or to the wall. The lining 18 is arranged on the interior of the wall 13 and accommodates the webbing 16, through slots corresponding to those in the wall 13 itself. An insole 19 is arranged over the sole 14 in the usual manner. I

In the modification illustratively exemplified in Figure 4, theends of the elastic-webbing 16 are brought under the sole portion of the counter adjacent the instep and the lining 20 disposed over the webbing 16 so that the latter does not show itself at all on the interior of the shoe. The lining 20 in this embodiment is necessarily loose in the region of the webbing to allow the latter to adjust itself inwardly towards the center of the heel and against the heel of the wearer.

It willbe understood that any width of webbing 16 may be used and any convenient Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A- self-adjusting counter for a shoe, comprising a rigid heel portion, sole and upstand- 3 ing side portions, the mid portion of the heel having spaced upright slots and each side portion adjacent its free end being provided with an upright slot and a strip of elastic webbing having its mid portion disposed through said slots in the heel and the ends projecting under tension towards the opposite side walls through the slots therein, back again on the inner side of the counter, and fixed to the opposite side walls. In testimony whereof he has aflixed his signature. GEO ETER. 

